Pressing-machine.



M. H. SGHIRMER & J. LEHR.

PRBSSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 001 .7, 1905.

Patented Jan. 11,1910.

3 SHEETS-453E111 1.

WMN w M. H. SOHIRMER & J. LEHR;

PRESSING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. 1905.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

3 SHBETSSHEET 2.

M. H. SOHIRMER & J. LEHR.

' PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT 7 1905 Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' in ra MARTIN H. SCI-113M331 AND JOSEPH. LEHB, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

rnnssrne mnonmn.

thdtal.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pgtenterl' Jan, 11, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, MARTIN H. Sonia HER and JOSEPH Lena, both of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressing-lllachines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a I full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked andsmoothing the seams and creases in garmerits, and the purpose of our present invention is to. provide such a machine with improved mechanism for producing the ;necessar pressure upon the garments arranged etween the iron and the pressing surface whereby ample pressure may be applied to the garment with a machine of small dimensions, and also to provide improved controlling devices whereby. thd pressure mechanism may be convenient]? and accurately controlled by the operator.

To these and other ends the invention consists of certain improvements and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully explained, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is an elev atiofi of the pressing machine constructed th ac cordance with our invention, parts being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the operating parts in the positions they would occupy during the pressing operation; Fig. 3 is a plan view of.

the pressing machine; Fig. 4 is a detail view of theoperating handle and the controlling devices adjacent thereto, and Fig. 5 represents a section onthe line 55 of Fig. 1.

Similar rcferencenumerals an the several fig'uresin'dicate similar parts.

A pressing machine constructed in'accordance with our invention comprises generally a rigid support 1 having a vertical hearing I a;2- thereon to receive the correspondingbearmg member of a horizontally-swingmg, sup

porting-arm 3, the free end of the latter being provided witha bearing 4t to receive the bracket 5 of a horizontally-movable frame 6. the latter being (preferably yoke-shaped to PIOVlClfi'illQ space parallel arms land 8, the

supporting arm 3 and the frame 6 forming a jointed or articulated arm. Passing through the free ends of the arms 7 and 8 is a bearing pin 9 on which is pivoted a rocker arm or lever 10. On one end of this rocker arm is mounted a suitable operating motor, embodying in the present instance a fluid pressure cylinder 11 having a piston 12 fitted to operate therein and provided with a iston rod 13 arranged to 0 crate throng a guide 14, the free end of t is piston rod being pivotally connected at 13* to one end of a bell-crank lever 15, the latter being pivoted at 16 so as to swing on the brackets 17 of the yoke frame 6, the other end of this bellcrank lever being pivotally connected at 18 to the link 19, the latter in turn being pivotally attached at 20 to the under side of the rocker arm 10. The cylinder relation, and length of the arms of the-bell-cr'ank lever and of the link 19 are such relatively to the bearing centers 16, 18 and respectively, that as the pistonrod 13 is forced out of the cylinder as the latter swings in an are about the pivot 9 of the rocker arm, the

bell-crank lever 15 and the link 19 which forman operative connection between the piston, the yoke frame and the rocker arm, will maintain the pivot 13 of the piston in alinement with the changing axis of the cylinder as the latter swings with the rocker arm, thereby obviating the necessityof using.

a cross head and guides for the piston.

It is preferable toemploy a suitable retracting device for the motor and rocker arm; and in the present instance such adeviceis supplied by providing the bell-crank lever 15 with an arm 21 having a hook or:

projection 22 thereon, and with this hook is arranged to corporate a'yoke-shaped rod 23, the arms of the latter passing through apertures in a horizontal pin 21 which is mounted to rotate in a bearing on the rocker arm 10, and between this pin and the end'of the arms are interposed the compression springs 2"). These springs normally operate to draw the looped portion of the rod toward the pin 2+1, and as th s portionis normally attached tothe hook 22 of the bell-crank lever, they will operate. to draw the bell-crank lever into the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby returning the piston within the cylinder-and restorirft the rocker arm' to its normal, hori- 'zontal position.

ceive and center a spherical journal portion 27 formed on a vertically-arranged shaft 28,

the lower end of the latter being attached to an iron 29, and the latter is arranged to move into and out of cooperative relation with a table or pressing surface by the relative angular motion of the rocker arm. The upper end of this iron-supporting shaft 28 has a handle 31 attached thereto by means of which the iron attached thereto may be guided and manipulated,-and extending laterally from the upper end of this shaft is an arm 32 having a substantially U-shapcd/actuating lever 33 pivoted thereto at 34, a link 35 being attached to this lever at 36 and connected at 37 to an operating member or lever 38, the latter being pivoted at 39 and provided at its free end with an operating hantile 40, conveniently located relatively to the handle 31, to enable it to be operated by the operators thumb while grasping the iron handle, (see Fig. 4). If desired, a suitable device may be provided for retaining this operating lever in operated position, such a 47 to the rocker arm 10 and provided with a counterweight 48 which normally operates to elevate the spherical bearing 45. The vertical arm 49 of this bell-crank lever is pivotally connected at 50 to a rod 51, the latter being pivotaliy attached at 52 we pivoted finger 53, which in turn is pivoted at 54 to an extensiouon the fitting 55, and operating longitudinally in this fitting is a plunger 56 having a valve seat '57 at one end and a roller 58 at its opposite end arranged to cooperate with the free end of the finger 53.

Secured to the cylinder 11 is a valve casing 59 to one end of which the fitting 55 is connected by the nut 60 secured upon the threaded extension GLia gland 62 being formed to provide a stufling box. This cas ing is provided with an annular chamber 63- and a passage 64 leading from thischamber to the interior of the cylinder above the piston head 12, and extending-through the chamber (33 of the casing is a valve stem 65 one end of which passes through the stutling'box and nut 60 to coiiperate with the valve seat '57 on the plunger This stem is provided with an axial boretl i which has an exhaust at oneend controlled by the valve seat 57, and a portion of the stem within the chamber 63 is provided with a groove or passage (37 which forms communication between the bore of the stem and the annular chamber of the casing. This stem passes through a'valve seat 68 in the casing, the valve stem being provided with a valve 69 to cooperate with this seat and an extension 70 for guiding the stem. A pipe 71 is attached tov the valve casing beyond the valve and connected to a suitable source of fluid pressure supply, fluid pressure therefrom being admitted to the cylinder under the control of the valve.

In operating a machineof this kind for the purpose of smoothing and pressing gar-- ments, and for similar purposes, the parts to be pressed are'properly arranged on the stationary table 30, and the required pressure is imposed upon the iron 29 by rotating the operating lever 38 toward the left (see Fi 4), and this lever through the link an .its connection 36 will tilt the lever 33 forwardly about its pivot 34,causing the roller 44 on its lower end to bear down' onto the spherical bearing 45 on the forward arm of the bell-crank lever 46, causing the latter to be operated into the position shown in Fig. 2. If desired, this manually-operated lever 38 may be locked in operated position to sustain .a' constant ressure. between ,the iron and ressing sur ace by swinging the detent 41 into the position'shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, causing the operating lever to be locked-in the recess 43 thereon. 1 By moving thebell-crank lever into theposioperatin through the rod 51 will cause the pivoted nger 53 to operate the plunger 56, moving the valve seat 57 thereon rearwardly against the valve stem 65,'closing the exhausbend of the bore 66 thereof and also "moving the stem rearwardly to unseat the valve (39. from its seat 68. This. will admit fluid prgssure from pipe 71- to the chamber 68 of the valve casing, passing betweenlhe lion shown in Fig. 2, the arm 49 thereon valve seat 68 and valve 69 and through the longitudinal groove or opening 67 in the valve stem, and" from the chamber 63 it passes through the passage 64 into the cylinder 11 between the'head thereof and the piston '12. The fluid pressure operating on the piston and cylinder heads will tend to separate them in opposite directions, the piston rod 13 operating on the bell-crank lever 15 to rotate it about its pivot 16 onthe frame (3 as a' fulcrum, and causing an upward movement of the link 19 attached thereto at l8, the force thus exerted by the link 19 operating on the rocker arm 10 to tilt it, the forward end thereof carrying the iron 29 moving downwardly toward the stationary table-or pressing surface 30. At

the same time the flui'dpressure operates on the vcylinder head which Wlll tend to lift the cylinder, and with it, the rear end .of

the rocker arm, thereby utilizing the full stroke of the cylinder and thus supplementbring the iron 29 down upon the pressing surface 30 or on the garment or other parts thereon to be smoothed or pressed, with a ressure which may be maintained constant if desired by engaging the detent 41 with the manually-operated lever 33, or if desired, the amount ofpressure applied to the garment may be varied during the" pressing operation by varying the pressure of the thumb upon the handle 40 of the operating lever 38 by the thumb of the operator, the hand'grasping the handle 31 to guide and manipulate the iron 29.

The jointed support-ing arm permits the iron and its connected parts to be moved freely in a horizontal plane to any part of the stationar table Without varying the pressure app ied between the iron and pressmg surface, as the pressing surface of the ta le is arranged in a plane parallel to the plane of movement of the arm' 3, and the rocker arm carried thereby. When the bellcrank lever 46 is in operated position, as shownin Fig. 2, the roller 44 of the lever 33 bearing on the spherical surface 45 will remain motionless, while the iron 29 and its shaft, are rotated or given a relative rocking motion about the universal bearing 26 and 27 of the rocker arm 10, as the surface of this spherical bearing is concentricwith the center of mdtion of the shaft 28 carrying the iron when the bell-crank lever 46 is in operated position, and therefore the various motions given to the iron and the rocker arm 10 will not disturb the connections of the controlling mechanism nor affect the pressure which is under the control of the manually-operated lever 38, the relative positlons of the operating lever and the bellcrank lever 46 which controls the fluid pressure supply remaining unchanged during 1 the various relative angular and rotary mo -tions of the iron and rocker arm by means of tlns connection between them.

The pressure upon the on 29 may be removed and the parts restored to normal position to lift the iron from the table 80 by returnin the"manually-operated lever 38 to normal position, allowing the lever 33 to be lifted by the rising of -the spherical bearing 45 under the action of, the counterweight 48 of the bell-crank lever 46, causing the latter to be returned to normal position and thus withdraw the finger 53 from engagement with the plunger '56, to permit the exhaust valve south? to be moved outwardly by thefvalvze stem consequently tincovering the-exhaust end of the bore titithereof, and alsoiallowing the valve 69 to cooperate with its seat 68, thereby cutting ofi the fluid pressursupply to the cylinder. As the bore directing the course of the pressing iron, and

6B of thefva'lve stem communicates through 1 the connecting devices are such that the vat-lfe slot 67 with the chamber 63 and the l' riations in angular relation of the iron and 13c l l l l l l l l I l I 1 latter in turn communicates through the passage 64 with the space between the piston and cylinder heads, the fluid pressure confined within the cylinder will exhaust into the atmosphere, and as the springs-25' operate through the yoke 23, and the arm 21 of the bell-crank leverv 15, to return the latter to normal position, the piston will be returned within the cylinder and the rocker arm '10 will be brought into a horizontal position lifting the iron from the table.

Sometimes it is desirable to apply the iron to the garment with a moderate pressure which may be produced manually by the operator, and in this case the springactuated retracting mechanism may be'thrown into inoperative position by drawing the handle 72 forwardly, rocking the lever 73 and causing the rod 74 to be moved .rearwardly, and as this rod is connected to the yoke '23 of the retracting device, it will disengage the latter from the hook 22 on the bell-crank lever 15, and thereby release the tension operating to return the rocker arm 10 to the normal horizontal position. hen

these parts have been disengaged, the rocker, arm 10 may be freely tilted without resistance, and. the operator by pressing upon the handle 31 may subject the garment to the desired pressure and the iron may be manipulated or directed in any desired course as described in conn-ection with the fluid pressure mechanism.

A pressing machine embodying our invention is not only capable of producing a comparatively heavy pressure on the garments or other articles being pressed, but the machine is compact in dimensions so that it may be readily and easily handled by the o p-' erator, the manner of mounting and connectingthc motor enablingthe full stroke of the cylinder to be; utilized while the rocker arm swings through a comparatively small the rocker arm while the piston is connected thereto through the lever 15 which has a bearing on a' portion of the relatively stationary'frame as a fulcrum. Furthermore the motor connections are shortened and simplified by avoiding the use of the customary guides and crosshead, the pivot 13 of the piston attached to the bell-'c'i'ank lever 15 swinging in a given treat a speed timed according to the motion of the rocker arm by means of the link 19, so that the pivot 13 'of the piston rod will be maintained in alinement with the cylinder axis while the rocker arm swings with the cylinder about the pivot 9. The novel controlling mechanism for the motor also enables the motor to be readily and accurately controlled by the same- 1 hand of the operator which is employed in rocker arm does not affect the motor control. Moreover, it is ad 'antageous to arrange the motor on the rear end of the rocker arm as it counter-balances the pressing iron and is sufficiently removed therefrom to enable leather.

or other soft packing to be employed in the cylinder without drying it out by reason of the heat from the iron, and as the weight of the motor'is so far removed from the iron,

its inertia does not materially affect the ease of manipulation of the iron on the pressing surface as is true of those devices having the iron attached directly to the piston of a motor lVe claim as our invention: 1. In a pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a jointed arm arranged to swing in a'vertical plane, an iron earned on, one end of the rocker arm and a motor operating on the-other end thereof to produce pressure between the iron and pressing surface.

3. In a pressmg machine, the combination with a pressing surface, a pivoted arm arranged over said surface and a rocker arm journaled at a point intermediate its ends to the pivoted arm and arranged to swing in a plane intersecting the plane of movement of the pivoted arm, of a motor arranged between the latter and the rocker armzi't one side of the pivoted point of the latter for tilting the rocker arm relatively to the pressing surface and an iron attached to the rocker arm.

4. In a pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a jointed arm arranged to swing in a plane parallel to the ressing surface, a rocker arm carried by-the first-mentioned arm and arranged to swing .angularly to the pressing surface, aniron carried by the roc erarm, and a motor arranged between the said arms for producing re'ssnre between the iron and the ressi'n surface.

5. In a pressing machine, the. combination with a pressing surface, of a jointed arm arranged to swing in a horizontal plane, a rocker arm carr ed by the first-mentioned arm and pivoted intermediately to swing in a vertical plane, an 1=10I1 carried on one end 'of the rocker arm having an operating handie for guiding it over the pressing surface,

intermediately pivoted rocker arm carried by the first arm and ara motor carried at the other end of the rocker arm for moving the iron toward the pressing surface,'and controlling devices connected to the motor and having an operating member adjacent'to the iron-operating 7 handle.

6. In a pressing machine, the combination with a suitable pressing surface, of an arm' mounted to swing in angular relation to the pressure surface, an'iron having a support ing shaft mounted in a universal bearing on said arm, a motor mounted separately from said shaft for ope ating said arm to move the iron into coiiperative relation with the pressing surface, and controlling devices connected to the motor and having an operating member on the supporting shat of the 1mm.

7. In a pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of an arm mounted to swing in angular relation to the pressure surface, an iron having a shaft connected by a universal bearing with the arm a motor carried by said arm for moving the iron into coiiperative relation with the pressing surface, and controlling devices for themotorembodying van operating member on the said shaft, and devices for maintaining operative connection between the operating member and motor irrespective of the different angular relations of the said arm and shaft.

, 8. In a pressing machine, the combination with a suitable pressing surface, of an arm mounted to move in angular relation to the ,100

' pressing surface, an iron having a supporting shaft connected by a universal bearing 'to said arm, a motor mounted separately from the said shaft and devices -for controllingit embodying a lever supported on the arm having a bearing surface'formed' concentric with the shaft-bearing, a part c0 operating with the bearing surface of the lever and .a 1 operating member for moving said part into operative'position,

9. In a pressing mac line, the combination with a horizontal pressing surface, of an arm mounted to operate m a vertical plane, an iron having a shaft with a universal bearing'on the said arm, a motor mounted separately from said shaft for moving the iron into cooperative relation with the pressing surface and motor COI'IliIOllII't devicesembddying a lever supported-on said arm'having a spherical surface formed concentric to the universal shaft bearing, an actuating lever arranged tocotiperate with the spherical surface of the said lever' and an operating member on the shaft for adjustin the lever.' t

10. n a pressing machine, the combination with a horizbntal pressing surface, of an arm mounted to operate in a vertical plane. an

iron having a supporting shaft with a universal bearing on the said arm and provided withsa handle for manipulating the, iron a fluid pressure motor carried bythe .arm. or

moving the iron into. cooperative "relation with the pressing surface and havi' a controlling valve thereon, a bell-crank ever on the said arm having aspart arranged to operbearing surface th'ereon formed concentric with the center of movementof thesaid shaft, and an actuating member located on the shaft adjacent to the handle and having a portion cooperating with the-concentric bearing surface of the bell-crank lever for operating the latter irresiective of the different angular relations 0 the said arm and shaft.

a the other end of' the rocker arm for tilting- 11. In a pressing machine, the combination with a suitable pressing surface, of an arm arranged to swing parallel to the pressing surface and su porting a yoke-shaped frame thereon, a roe er arm pivotedto the yoke arms of the said frame to swing in angular relation to the pressing surface, an-iron carswing in angular relation to the pressing surface an iron carricdat one end of the rocker arm and arranged to cooperate with the pressing surface, and a motor connected to the latter to bring the iron into cooperative relation with the pressing surface.

13. In a pressing machine, the combination with a suitable pressing surface, of a frame movable parallel to the pres ing surface, and

a rocker arm voted thereon to swing in an-.

gular relation to the pressing surface, an iron carried byfthe rocker arm and arranged to coifperate with the pressing surface, a fluid pressure cylinder having a piston operating therein, and operating-eimncctions between the saidfraine and rocker arm which are operated on. by the piston for producin a relative movement of the frame and rocter arm. a

H.- Ina pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a frame arranged above the pressing-surface, and a rocker arm pivoted tnereon and arranged to swingin angular relation to the pressing surface, an iron operated on by the rocker arm, and a motor mounted on the frame for operating the arm embodying a fluid pressure cylinder having a piston operatingt-herein, and a lever connected to the piston and forming an operative connection between the frame and rocker arm. I

'15. In a pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a frame mounted to swing in a plane parallel to the pressing 3 surface,.and a. rockerarm pivoted thereon 'andarranged to swing in angular relation to the pressing surface, an iron 0 )erated on by the rocker arm, and a motor or producing relative motion beta een the frame and arm embodying a fluid pressure cylinder and piston carried by one of the arts, and a lever connected to the piston and having a pivotal bearing on one of its parts and a link connection with the other.

16. In a. pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a supporting arm, and a rocker arm pivoted thereon and ar ranged to move in angular-relation tothe pressing surface, an iron operated on by the rocker arm, and a motor for operating the arm'cmbodying'a fluid pressure cylinder and its piston mounted 'on' the arm, a lever iv-' oted on the supporting arm and having one arm thereof attached to the piston, and a little j connecting the other armof thelever andthe rocker arm.

17. In a. pressing machine, the continuation with a pressing surface, of a supporting arm, and a rocker arm carried thereb and arranged to swing inangular relation to the pressing surface, an ron operated on by the rocker arm and arranged to cooperate with the pres ing surface, a motor, connections between the said arms actuated by the motor for ope 'ating the rocker arm, and a retracting device movable into and out of operative position and normally operating on the motor onnections for restoring the motor and arm to normal position.

18. In a pressing machine, the combination with a pressing surface, of a horizontally movable supporting arm mounted over said surfaceand a rocker arm mounted thereon and arranged to move in angular relation to the pressing surface. an iron carried by the rocker arm arranged to cooperate with the presing surface and having an operating handle. a motor for tilting the rocker farm relatively to the supporting arm, said motor being carried on one-of said arms, a retracting device exerting. a force tending to move the rocker arm to carry the iron out of engagement with the pressing surface and means for reventing the operation of the retracting evice to permit manual manipulation of the iron in engagement with the pressing -.,surface.

, MARTIN H. SCHIRMER.

JOSEPH LEHR. 

